I was watching the -14 walk around video on Van's site and noticed the gentleman mention a "canopy jettison handle". He pointed to a T handle protruding from the upper center of the instrument panel. I was wondering if that is included with standard kits or was it there for testing. If it is standard, is it there for emergency egress or some other purpose. The best I can tell there is a issue getting out of these types of aircraft when upside down so any improvements in design would certainly be welcome. Thanks in advance.

The canopy jettison handle was standard in the RV-6, the first SBS RV, from the very beginning. The addition of the hold-up struts made jettisoning in flight questionable. I still don't have struts on mine and would never install them. But that's just me. Obviously most others don't agree.

If you install the jettison mechanism, I recommend removing the struts while test flying and acro.

The jettison also makes canopy removal very easy for maintenance behind the panel.

Great to hear about this improvement. It should solve some thorny issues like jettison safety without compromising lifting ease, improving normal ingress and egress and changes in frame geometry caused by the strut

I always wondered why Van's didn't implement a canopy lifting and latching mechanism like on the 2 seat Lancairs and Diamond series.

It sounds like the 14 also addresses the nose gear issues. Good improvements all around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

The design of the RV-14 canopy system is totally different from the one on the other SBS airplanes.

The struts do not attach directly to the canopy. They attach to the hinging system which the canopy frame disconnects from when the handle is pulled.

I may be in the minority but I decided not to have a canopy jettison handle on my panel. I don't have a desire to do acrobatics and I can't think of too many good reasons to bail out. Especially if I don't plan on wearing a chute. Anybody else going this rout?

Yes and no. I plan on occasional aerobatics and want to have the handle when wearing a parachute. If I'm not doing aerobatics and not wearing a parachute I don't want it there. So I'm thinking of a removable handle of some sort.

I will go without the handle and aerobatics until I do come up with a good removable handle.

I have installed the mechanism forward of the sub panel to allow easy removal of the canopy, but will safety wire the lever handle on the mechanism to the rib and omit a connecting handle through the main instrument panel. Reasoning: 1) I don't expect to eject the canopy in flight because the canopy offers a significant degree of protection to occupants including in a rollover 2) (and very secondary) the handle position is prime real estate on the center stack.

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